Click the photo to view the full-size version
| Name | BNSF Bridge #360.19 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge #360A |
| Built By | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway |
| Currently Owned By | BNSF Railway |
| Superstructure Contractor | Unknown |
| Length | 6 Feet Total |
| Width | 2 Tracks |
| Height Above Ground | 5 Feet (Estimated) |
| Superstructure Design | Stone Arch Culvert (North Track) Concrete Arch Culvert (South Track) |
| Substructure Design | Stone Masonry and Concrete |
| Date Built | 1903 (North Track) 1910 (South Track) |
| Traffic Count | 60 Trains/Day (Estimated) |
| Current Status | In Use |
| Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Number | 360A |
| BNSF Railway Bridge Number | 360.19 |
| Significance | Local Significance |
| Documentation Date | 8/26/2017 |
In 1873, the Chicago, Pekin & Southwestern Railway (CP&SW) began construction on 52 miles of new railroad, extending from Pekin to Pekin Junction, Illinois and from Eureka, Illinois to Ancona, Illinois. At the same time, the Chicago & Illinois River Railroad (C&IR) began construction on a 28 mile spur from Coal City, Illinois to Streator, Illinois, but work was soon ceased. The CP&SW purchased the incomplete line from Gorman to Streator, and connected it to Ancona. The CP&SW was purchased by the Chicago, St. Louis & Western Railroad in 1881, which constructed an additional 60 miles into Chicago, opening in 1884. The railroad was reorganized into the Chicago & St. Louis Railway (C&StL) in 1886. By the mid-1880s, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (ATSF) was contemplating on extending their network from Kansas City, Missouri to Chicago, where the railroad could interchange with other large railroads. In 1887, the Chicago, California & Santa Fe Railway (CC&SF) began construction on 350 miles of new railroad, extending from Ancona to Sugar Creek Junction, near Kansas City. Work would be completed in 1888. The portion of the line from Ancona to Chicago would be reconstructed at this time to meet new standards.
The new line featured the most direct railroad route between the two cities, crossing the Mississippi River at Fort Madison, Iowa; and the Missouri River at Sibley, Iowa. The new line was leased to the ATSF in 1888, and fully absorbed into the ATSF in 1900. The line immediately became a core line for the ATSF, serving as part of the principal mainline (Chicago to Los Angeles) for the ATSF. During the first decade of the 20th Century, the Kansas City to Chicago line was extensively rebuilt for double track use. Due to dwindling traffic, the route from Ancona to Pekin was abandoned in 1983 and 1984. In 1996, the ATSF was merged into Burlington Northern Railroad to form BNSF Railway. Today, BNSF operates this line as the Chillicothe Subdivision and the Marceline Subdivision. The line continues to be one of the heaviest used railroad routes in the Midwest.
Located on the east side of Mendon, this small arch culvert crosses an unnamed creek. The first bridge at this location was likely a timber pile trestle. In 1903, a 6-foot stone arch culvert would be constructed. In 1910, the culvert would be extended with a concrete arch on the south side, and concrete wing walls were added to the north face. Unlike other stone arches along this route, this structure does not utilize a brick lining. As the ATSF constructed a second track between Chicago and Kansas City, the railroad often widened the existing bridges instead of completely reconstructing them. This often led to a mix of designs within a single bridge. Overall, the bridge appears to be in fair to good condition, with no significant deterioration noted. A concrete lining was added to the culvert at some point after the 1930s. The author has ranked this bridge as being locally significant, due to the common design.
Citations
| Build date | Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Bridge Records; Part of Railroad & Heritage Museum Fred M. and Dale M. Springer Archive; Temple, Texas |
| Railroad History Citation | ICC Valuation Information, Compiled by Richard S. Steele |